Valve structure



w. R. BROWN 2,451,799

VALVE STRUCTURE Oct. 19, 1948.' l

original Filed Jan. l11, 1945 Patentedv Oct. 19, 1948 VALVE STRUCTURE WilliamR. Brown,

Chicago, Ill., assignorV to W. R.

ABrownCorporation, Chicago,y Ill., a corporation `of Illinois .Original vapplication January ,-11, v19.43, Serial No. 472,020. Divided and this application April 7, 1944, Serial'No. 529,898

15 -Cla'ims.

This invention relates -to a valve structure and more 4particularly to such -a structure -which is adapted to the foot control of a lpneumatic tool.

This application is a division of my copending application, Serial No. 472,020; `filed January 11, 1943 which is now abandoned.

An object of this invention is -to provide'a --new and limproved valve structure forthe control of a pneumatic tool Yancl arranged-for foot actuationfsothat both of the operators hands are free for-other work.

Another object of `this invention is to -provide an improved valve structure which is quickly and easily operable to two operating positions and which requires ldefinite actuation for operation from one position to `the other.

-An'other object yof this invention isto provide areliable valve structure'for-foot.operation which is particularly acceptable-tomass production and sale at low cost. Y

Other objectsand-advantages will become apparent in the following description and from the accompanying drawings inwhich:

`Figure l is a topplanview of a: preferred embodiment of this inventionl and shows-its adaptation to the control of a fluid pressure operated device.

Fig. 2 is a sectionalviewon anenlarged scale of the preferred valve structure and is taken substantially on a line -2-2 of vFig. 1.

Fig. 3 `is a sectional view-through av-portion of the valve structure and is'taken substantially on va line AI--II of Fig. '2.

`While the invention is susceptible of -various modications and alternative constructions, I

4have-shown in the drawings and will'herein describe in detail, the preferred embodimentpbut it is to be understood that I donot 'thereby intend to'limit the invention to -the specic form `disclosed, but intend to cover all -modiiications and alternative constructionsfalling within'the spirit 'and scope of the invention as-expressed in the appended claims.

Although the Vuse of the valve structure to `which this invention limited, it is illustrated and described herein Yin its adaptationV tozthe control of abench vise; this illustrative adaptation serving to disclose more fully: the features. of the' invention.

'In certaintypesofvbench operations wherein avise isused, the rate' of production may be materially increased if the: operator has both hands free while closing .or opening the avise. .For eX- .ample, in second operations wherein such steps .as hand filing, drilling, boring, tappingf or millpertains is not necessarily so ing-operations, are-performedon a piece of work, the operatorcan replace a piece of work in a vise much more rapidly if both the hands are free 'to hold theworkpiece or properly adjust its position as he secures the work in the vise. It is in such an environment that the present inventionl is .extremely useful, although of course its utility is not limited to this eld. y

The novel features of the particular vise here illustrated (Fig. 1) arethe subject matter of my Aearlier led application Serial No. 472,020', of which this vapplication is a division. Accordingly,the construction of the vise as such will only be briey summarized `before turning to the controller therefor which constitutes the illustrative embodiment of vthe present invention.

Referring particularly to Fig. 1 of the drawings, -the vise includes a base I0 having side -iianges H .through which it may be secured to a work bench andl-hasan abutment I2 providing the VI'lxed jawofr-'the vise. The upper surface of this jaw is provided with tapped holes I3 for assembling .fixtures thereon. At its other end a hollow casing|4 on the base provides a housing for the operating parts of the pneumatic actuator. The base is traversed by a bottom groove I6 and has upper surfaces `I'I which receive a slidable block fl8 constitutingthe movable jaw. The block has aportion I9 extending into the recess I6. The block or movable jaw-I8 slidablyengages surfaces on the base. The portion I9 similarly engages inwardly facingsurfaces on the base sections and :guides the longitudinal movements of the movablejaw.

:Both the fixed and movable jaws I2, I8 may have'hardened face plates 23 secured thereto, which maybeprovided with opposed grooves 25 complemental to the workpiece. .As -a safety measure, ahardened blockrZB may be secured t0 the lbaseLtolimit-rthe closing movement of the movable jaw. The movable jaw is operated by a pneumatically actuated diaphragm type motor which is'enclosed in the hollow casing .I4 which `casing-has aninner end 21 located with the axis of `its `bore 28 in substantial alinement with a Vcentralportion of the movable jaw. The housing-ares -outwardly as at 29 and an end. cap 32,

secured thereto by screws 34, closes theend of the casing I 4 and covers an actuating diaphragm (not shown). -Compressed air is admitted to the space between the cap and the `.diaphragm through a port SGarranged for connection with a compressed air-conduit 31. p

-A- piston or ram 4 0 isactuated by the diaphragm and vhas a -stem 42v which Vextends, through the bore 28 in the end 21 of the housing. A keyway 43 in the housing end 21 is provided for loose engagement with a key 44 on the stem to restrain the stem against rotational movement. The stem has an axial bore which is threaded for engagement by an end 5| of an adjusting screw 52. The screw extends into a recess in the movable jaw I8 and is suitably secured thereto for relative rotary but non-axial movement by a set screw 54. The screw 52 has a finger wheel 56 secured thereto and any relative position of adjustment between the adjusting screw and piston stem is fixed by a lock nut 51. Thus, the open position of the movable jaw may be so a-djusted as to provide just the clearance required for the insertion of a, given workpiece.

Novel means is Iprovided for enabling the operator to control the actuation of the vise with his foot, thus freeing both of the operators hands for holding or adjusting the workpiece as it is clamped in or removed from the vise.

Referring to Figs. l, 2 and 3, the foot controller illustrated herein embodies a base 58, arranged to rest upon the floor. The base is rectangular in shape and has about the average dimensions of an operators foot. A valve body 68 is secured, as by screws 59, near one end of the base with 'its long dimension extending transversely of the base. The valve body has a longitudinal bore therein which may, for convenience, be considered as having two end portions 6I, 62 and an intermediate portion 63 of lesser or restricted diameter defined at its ends by outwardly facing shoulders 64, 65 providing valve seats. The valve member is slidably mounted in the bore end, as shown, comprises a stem 66 having valves 61, 68 mounted on the opposite ends thereof. The stem is arranged to extend through the restricted intermediate portion 63 of the bore and is flattened (as shown) or otherwise suitably formed to provide clearance for the passage of fluid between the stem and the casing. The stem is longer than the intermediate bore portion 63 so that the valves 61, 68 are only capable Iof alternate engagement with their respective valve seats 64, 65.

There are three ports 69, 10 and 1l (Fig. 3) in the valve body communicating respectively with the bore portions 6l, 63 and 62. The ports 69, 18 are respectively connected through nipples 12 with a conduit 13 (Fig. l) leading to a suitable source of pressure fluid (not shown) and with the conduit 31 to the pressure chamber of the vise actuating diaphragm motor. The ports 69, 10` are separated by the valve 61 which thus controls the flow of pressure fluid to the motor. Port 1l is an exhaust port leading to atmosphere from the end portion 62 of the bore. It is separated from the outlet 18 by the valve 68, so that this valve controls the exhaust of pressure fluid from the motor.

The end portion 6l of the bore is closed by a screw threaded plug 14 and a spring 15 interposed between the plug and the valve 61 exerts its force normally to urge the valve 61 toward its seat 64 and the valve 68 away from its seat 65. The line pressure exerted against the head of valve 61 normally holds the valve assembly in this position in which communication between ports 69 and 10 is normally closed and the latter is normally vented to atmosphere through port 1l. The opposite end portion 62 of the bore is arranged slidably to receive an actuating plunger 16 or the like variably bearing against a spring 11 (which may be substantially heavier than the spring interposed between the valve 68 and the inner end of the plunger 16. The outer end of the plunger is preferably rounded.

The valve structure is concealed within an enclosing case 18 including a flat, generally rectangular plate or upper wall member 19 upon which the operators foot may rest, and having a depending marginal flange forming side walls 80, which between their ends are inwardly offset as at 8| (Fig. l) to provide clearance for transversely spaced upstanding bosses 82 on the base. A pintle B3 carried by the bosses extends through the side walls pivotally supports the case on the base for rocking movement about an axis located at one side of and substantially parallel to the axes of the plunger 16 and valve member 66. The case 18 constitutes a means for actuating the plunger 16 and for this purpose, the portion of the side wall, which in assembly is opposite to the outer end ofthe plunger 16, carries, as shown in Fig. 2, a cam 84 having a rising surface 85 and flat surface 86 which successively engage the rounded end of the plunger as this end of the case is rocked downwardly. The cam surface 85 is adapted to move the plunger inwardly to compress the spring 11 until its force is sufficient to overcome the holding force exerted primarily by line pressure and in part by the opposite spring 15, thereby to shift the valve member to close the valve '68 and open the valve 61. The parts are held in this relationship by the engagement of the flat surface 86 of the cam with the plunger until the case is intentionally reversely rocked.

When the plunger has been shifted to open the valve 61 and close the valve 68, pressure fluid is admitted to the diaphragm motor through the conduit, ports and passages 13, 69, 6I, '63, 10, 31 and 36. Pressure uid moves the piston or ram to the left as shown in Fig. 1, thereby shifting the movable jaw I9 into clamping engagement with a workpiece disposed between the jaws. When the operator rocks the case 80 of the controller in the reverse direction, the plunger 16 is released to permit the line pressure and spring force to return the parts instantly to their normal positions in which the valve 61 is closed to cut off the diaphragm motor from pressure and vent it to atmosphere through open valve 68 and port 11| It will be evident from the foregoing that a novel footl controller has been provided which is simple in construction and efficient in operation. It will be noted that after the operator has depressed one end of the case to open the valve and clamp the jaws on a workpiece, the parts of the foot controller will remain in that relationship until the case is intentionally rocked in a reverse direction. Thus the user need have his foot o-n the foot controller only when he intends to manipulate it.

I claim as my invention:

l. In a foot controller for a pressure uid actuated device, the combination of a base, a valve casing mounted on said base, said casing having therein a valve operable by linear motion to two operating positions, means comprising a resilient member biasing said valve to one of said positions, an actuating member movable linearly and adapted to effect movement of the valve against the normal biasing force to the other of said operating positions, said actuating member having a cam surface, an operating member providing a protecting cover for the valve casing and supported for rocking movement, and said operating member having a pair of cam surfaces thereon in cooperative relation with the cam surface of said actuating member, one of the cam surfaces on said operating member being adapted to move said actuating member to eiiect operation of the valve, and the other of said lcam surfaces on said operating member being adapted to hold said actuating member in a xed position.

2. In a foot actuated controller for a pressure iiuid operated device, the combination with a base, of a valve mounted on said base, a valve member in said valve shiftable between two positions to control the supply of pressure fluid to the device, spring means yieldably urging said Valve member toward one of said positions, a plunger at one end of said valve operative when actuated to shift the valve member to the other of said positions against the action of said spring means, actuating means for said plunger including a member mounted on said base to rock about an axis located at one side and substantially parallel to the axes of said plunger and said valve member, and a cam element carried by said rocking member for coaction with said plunger.

3. In a foot actuated controller for afpressure fluid operated device, the combination with a base, of a valve mounted on said base, a valve member in said valve shiftable between two positions to control the supply of pressure fluid to the device, spring means yieldably urging said valve member toward one of said positions, a plunger at one end of said valve operative when actuated to shift the member to the other of said positions against the action of said spring means, actuating means for said plunger including a at generally rectangular member having a depending marginal iiange adapted to extend over said Valve, means coacting with said ange to support said member for pivotal movement about an axis located at one side of and substantially parallel to the axes of said plunger and said valve member, and cam means carried by said flange for actuating said plunger.

4. In a foot actuated controller for a pressure uid operated device, the combination with a valve having an operating plunger projecting at one end, a rigid base supporting said valve, actuating means for said plunger including an actuating member haing a depending marginal iiange defining spaced side walls adapted to straddle said valve and said plunger, means supporting said member on said base for movement toward and from said valve, and means on one of said side walls `engageable directly with said plunger in such movement of the member to actuate the same.

5. In a foot actuated controller for a pressure fluid operated device, the combination with a control valve having an operating plunger proj ecting at one end, of a rigid base supporting said valve, actuating means for said plunger including a member having a depending marginal ilange defining spaced side walls, a pair of upstanding bosses on said base spaced from said valve and adapted to receive said side Walls between them, a pintle extending through said bosses and said Walls supporting said member for pivotal movement, and cam means formed Ion the flange of said member engageable with said plunger incident to such pivotal movement to operate the valve.

WILLIAM R. BROWN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 498,439 Lunken May 30, 1893 1,666,283 Farley Apr. 17, 1928 1,697,691 Peters Jan. 1, 1929 1,933,740 Kuwada Nov. 7, 1933 1,950,463 Titus Mar. 13, 1934 2,094,310 Travagliati Sept. 28, 1937 2,196,120 Parker Apr. 2, 1940 2,240,163 Pick Apr. 29, 1941 

